Situated between the towns of Ispica
and Modica, this great fissure some 13km Iong, is stacked with abandoned
troglodyte dwellings, small sanctuaries and necropolises. The earliest signs of
human occupation in the area date from Neolithic times. The hollows studding
the walls of the gorge are a natural phenomen in karst rock, they came
subsequently to be modified and adapted by

humans
according to their requirements.

THE GORGE

A tour of the gorge comprises two parts. The
northern section between Ispica and Modica is open to the public via the Ufficio
di Sovrintendenza (follow signs for Cava d’Ispica); this first
highly-accessible part is fenced off. The second half of this site lies further
north and encloses a more disseminated series of “monuments” which are
difficult to find and less-accessible. The best way of orientating a visit,
therefore, is to follow a guided tour.

The second separate area, known as the Parco
della Forza, is located outside Ispica; this automatically caters for organised
tours.

Cava d’Ispica – The actual Cava d’Ispica
harbours the Larderia (from the word ardeia – with abundant
water) which consists of a paleo-Christian catacornb (4C-5C) lined with an
impressive number of burial chambers (464). The original entrance was at one
time located at the opposite end of the corridor that is now used, off which
branches the “main nave” that extends 35.6m. The two lateral passageways were
added later.

La Larderia
– The tour follows the contours of a rock wall. Beyond the Church of Santa
Maria

(high up in
the cliff on the left) and the Camposanto or Holy ground, is located the
Grotte Cadute which comprises a residential cornplex on several levels.
Holes in the ceiling and steps cut in the walls below enabled the residents to
move from one level to another with the aid of poles and ropes that could be
pulled up in times of danger.

Opposite the entrance to the fenced area, on
the far side of the main road, another road leads to the rock-hewn Church of
San Nicola and the Spezieria, a little church perched on a sharp
rocky outcrop. The name, corrupted from the local dialect, is linked to the
mythical existence of a monk-cum-apothecary who prepared herbal remedies. The
church interior is sub-divided into two parts: a

nave and a
mis-aligned chancel with three apses.

Return to the car and drive up the main road to
the first turning on the left.

Baravitalla – On the plateau, now scattered
with dry-stone walls, stand the ruins of the Byzantine Church of San
Pancrati (on the left, fenced off). It was beside here that vestiges of a
small settlement were recovered. A little further on, a path leads left to an
area with other points of interest (difficult to find without a guide): the
Tomb with decorative pilasters has a double front entrance, and the Grotta
del Santi which consists of a rectangular chamber containing fragments of

fresco
along the walls (the haloes of the figures depicted can just be discerned).

Back on the main road, continue towards Cava
d’Ispica, before looking and finding (if accompanied by a guide) the Grotta
della Signora which shelters a spring considered sacred since ancient
times. The walls bear traces of graffiti dating from prehistoric or
paleo-Christian era (swastikas and crosses).

Meanwhile,
in the opposite direction further towards Ispica, the central part of the gorge
conceals the so-called Castello, an enchanting residential complex
several storeys high (see above).

Parco della Forza – Located at
Ispica. This, one of the
earliest areas of settlement, has been occupied since Neolithic times,
abandoned in the 1950s (very difficult to reach: for directions, ask a local
guide). During the Middle Ages the plateau above the gorge was fortified with a
citadel. This was raised around the so-called Palazzo Marchionale, the
basic layout of which may still be made out. Some rooms preserve fragments of
the original floor covered with painted fired lime tiles.The small fortress
also contained several churches including the Annunziata which has 26
graves inlaid into its floor.

The cave known as the Scuderia, so
called because it accommodated stables in medieval times, bears traces of
graffiti horses. An idea of just how considerable this settlement was may be
gleaned from the known number of people residing there: before the earthquake
in 1693, approximately 2000 people lived within precincts of the actual
citadel, while an additional 5500

people
inhabited the nearby gorges.

Perhaps the
most striking feature is the Centoscale, an extremely long stairway
(consisting of 240 steps cut into the rock) which descends 60m at an angle of
45° into the side of the hill to emerge on a level with the valley floor, below
the riverbed. It is not known when exactly the passage was made, its function
was to ensure a water supply even in times of drought. One hundred slaves
(hence its name) were positioned along the length of the stairway to collect
the water as filtered down from the riverbed (at its deepest point, the
passageway was 20m below water level); having been collected it was passed up
in buckets to the surface. Outside the actual park stands Santa Maria della
Cava, a little rock-hewn church containing the fragments of fresco in
successive layers (for access, permission must be sought from the custodians).